Means for carrying out a removable flow tube program



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MEANS FOR CARRYING OUT A REMOVABLE FLOW TUBE PROGRAM Filed April 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 N ZS ava-5 l6 L 43 '11 w 53 4! ;/4/ 4/ x2 52 A E {1/ q t INVENTOR. 4 Mum 4/, flan/5o Nov. 29, 1960 w. w. DOLLISON MEANS FOR CARRYING OUT A REMOVABLE FLOW TUBE PROGRAM Filed April 21, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

FIG-a BY MZQWWW/ Nov. 29, 1960 w. w. DOLLISON H 2,962,097 means FOR cARRYmc cm A REMOVABLE now TUBE P bGRAM s Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 21, 1958 INVENTOR. MAL/AM ((4 0044/50 BY WWW ,4 TTOP/VEVS Nov. 29, 1960 w. w. DOLLISON 2,962,097

MEANS FOR CARRYING our A REMOVABLE FLOW TUBE PROGRAM Filed April 21, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG -/2 INVENTOR.

ld/u IAN 4/, 0044/50 United States Patent MEANS FOR CARRYING OUT A REMOVABLE FLOW TUBE PROGRAM William W. Dollison, Dallas, Tern, assignor to Otis Engineering Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Apr. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 729,682

5 (Ilaims. or. 166-136 This invention relates to wire line operable means for the completion of a multiple zone well, and more specifically to such means whereby two zones may be separately produced and in which either zone may be reworked while allowing the other zone to be produced.

Heretofore it has been the practice in multiple zone well completion to use two separate tubing strings in which one string extends downwardly to one production zone and the other string extends downwardly to the sec nd production zone. The tubing strings are packed off to the casing above and below the upper zone so as to allow simultaneous separate production of the two zones. Although this practice permits limited reworking operations to be carried out, without pulling the tubing strings (e.g., perforating of the lower zone, and/or chemical treatment of either zone), it does not permit enough. I To fully rework either zone, it is necessary to pull and later replace the tubing, which is costly and time consuming since it requires a tubing handling rig to be kept at the well, or re-erected as needed.

The present invention has been made to overcome the above limitations by permanently installing two tubing strings in a multiple zone well, as will later be described. After this installation has been made, the rig may be disassembled and removed to another well for use there. Thereafter, all operations in the well are carried out by wire line operations which are considerably faster and more economical. The well installation can then be completed so that each zone produces separately and simultaneously through the two tubing strings. If reworking operations are later required, the well installation can be changed, without pulling the tubing, so that either zone may be fully reworked while the other zone is free to produce simultaneously while reworking operations are carried out.

One example of the necessity of a reworking operation is where water encroachment is encountered. In this case, the producing formation must be cemented, the'excess cement must be removed, and the zone reperforated above the water level. In the present invention such reworking operation may be carried on in the lower zone, and repeated as necessary, while the upper zone continues in production. 7

Another example is where an exploratory hole is drilled and a number of producing formations is penetrated. It is only necessary to install one packer above the uppermost formation, the lower packer being installed at a desired level. Then all formations except two are cemented. Thereafter, cementing and perforating operations can be carried out, as desired, without the necessity for pulling the permanently installed tubing.

The primary object of this invention is to provide wire line operable means for producing and reworking a multiple zone Well by the use of wire line equipment alone so that a zone or zones below the bottom packer may be produced simultaneously with and independently of the zone or zones above the packer, so that the upper zone or zones may be independently reworked sirnultane e ously with the production of the lower zone or zones; and

so that the lower zone or zones may be independently reworked simultaneously with the production of the upper zone or zones.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety joint for use in a multiple zone well and in'which the safety joint may be run into the well, landed and locked in place in the well and retrieved from the wellby' use of wire line equipment.

A further specific object is to provide a safety joint comprising a vertically disposed mandrel having an out wardly projecting and downwardly facing seating surface on the upper end thereof, a collet mounted on said man drel for limited vertical sliding movement thereon be tween first and second positions, a plurality of elongated, resilient finger members each mounted at one end thereof on said collet and extending longitudinally along said mandrel, an outwardly projecting and upwardly facing seating surface on the free ends of said fingers, an an= nular lock member mounted on said mandrel for longitu dinal sliding movement between first and second positions thereon, a first shear pin means connecting said lock memher and said mandrel to normally retain said lock meniher in its said first position on said mandrel, a cam sur face on said lock member engageable with the free ends of said fingers to force said free ends outwardly from the axis of said mandrel when said collet is in its first posi tion, said fingers being out of engagement with the cam surface when said collet is in its second position and said lock member is in its first position, said fingers also being out of engagement with said cam surface when said collet is in its first position and said lock member is in its second position, a tubular member having a telescopic fit with the upper end ofsaid mandrel, and second shear pin means connecting said tubular member and said mandrel; said second shear pin means having a greater shear strength than said first shear pin means.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.

In the drawings, forming apart'of this application, and in which like parts are designated by like reference" numerals throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the permanently installed well equipment.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are schematic illustrations of various combinations of wire line handled equipment constructed in accordance with the invention which may be'run into the permanently installed well equipment of Fig. 1 to provide differing production and reworking flow paths;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an extension hanger and landing nipple usable in the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a wire line tool for land-' ing' and removing the extension hanger of Fig. 5'.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a safety joint and dual bore packer usable in the invention.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a modified form of the safety joint of Fig. 7. I

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a plugging tool usable in the invention, and shown installed in a dual bore packefl Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a wire line running tool for the plugging tool of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a wire line pulling tool for removing the plugging tool of Fig. 9 or the safety joint of Fig. 7. I V

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a side port nipple usable in the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the permanent installa tion of Fig. 1 comprises a well casing 10 extending from ground level down through upper and lower producing formations, or zones, Il and 12. The well casing is per forated at 13 and14 at the level of these formations. Two? tubing strings 15 and 15a extend downwardly through the casing and arepacked off to the casing at the lower end by a conventional dual bore packer 16 at a level above the upper production zone 11. Another conventional dual bore packer 17,' modified in a manner to be hereinafter described, is set in the casing at a level between the upper and lower production zones 11 and 12.

Each tubing string 15 and 15a is provided with a landing nipple, 18 and 18a, respectively,-at a level above the lower ends of the tubing strings, and a remotely con: trollable side port nipple 19 is connected into tubing string 15 between the landing nipple 18 and packer 16. Fig. 2 illustrates a production combination wherein an extension hanger 21 is landed in landing nipple 18 to support extension pipe 22 having a safety joint 23 connected at its lower end which is landed in one bore of packer 17. The other bore of packer 17 is plugged by a plugging tool 24. In this combination, the side port nipple 19 is closed, and the upper zone 11 is produced through tubing string 15a while the lower zone 12 is produced through the extension pipe 22 and the tubing string 15.

Fig. 3 illustrates a reworking combination wherein the side port nipple 19 has been opened to allow the lower zone 12 to again be produced through extension pipe 22 and tubing string 15, while the upper zone 11 may be reworked through a flow path down through tubing string 15a to between packers 16 and 17 and upwardly through the side port nipple 19 into the tubing-casing annulus.

Fig. 4 illustrates another reworking combination wherein the plugging tool 24 has been removed from the lower packer 17, and an extension hanger 21a has been landed in landing nipple 18a. An extension pipe 22a extends downwardly from the extension hanger 21a and is connected by safety joint 23a to packer 17. This combination allows the upper zone 11 to be produced through the side port nipple 19 and the tubing-casing annulus while reworking operations in the lower zone 12 may be car ried out through tubing strings 15 and 15a and extension pipes 22 and 22a.

The operations whereby the installations of Figs. 1-4 may be made will be discussed after a description of the various elements involved.

The extension hanger The extension hanger 21, illustrated in Fig. 5, is adapted to seat and lock into the landing nipple 18, the latter being provided with a downwardly facing seating shoulder 31, a bore 32 and an upwardly facing seating shoulder 33.

The extension hanger 21 comprises an elongated vertically disposed generally cylindrical mandrel 35 formed by the interconnected lock mandrel 36, collet mandrel 37 and valve housing 38. The valve housing 38 is upwardly and outwardly inclined at the lower end thereof to provide a downwardly facing seating surface 39 which is adapted to seat upon the upwardly facing shoulder 33 of the landing nipple. The mandrel 35 is threaded at 40 at the lower end thereof for connecting the extension tubing 22 thereto.

A plurality of resilient elongated collet members 41 have their lower ends fixedly mounted or integral with collet mandrel 37 and are spaced around the mandrel. These finger members extend longitudinally upwardly along the mandrel and have an upwardly facing seating surface 42 formed on the free ends thereof, for engagement with the downwardly facing shoulder 31 of the landing nipple.

An expander sleeve 43 is mounted on lock mandrel 36 for limited longitudinal movement thereon between upper and lower positions relative thereto, and has an upwardly extending top sub 44 connected thereto.

The expander sleeve has a cam surface 45 thereon, so that when the expander sleeve is moved downwardly to its lower position, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the sleeve will slide between the mandrel 35 and. the free ends. Of he finger members 41 to cam the free ends outwardly from the axis of the mandrel in order to lock the upwardly facing seating surface 42 intoengagement with the downwardly facing landing nipple shoulder 31. When the expander sleeve is moved upwardly, the cam surface 45 thereon will be removed from outward holding engagement with the finger members, which will allow the free ends thereof to move inwardly toward the axis of the mandrel.

The upper end of the top sub 44 has a downwardly and inwardly inclined surface 46, and an internal annular fishing groove 47 for engagement by wire line retrieving tools.

A packing member 48 is provided on mandrel 35 below the finger members 41 for sealing engagement with the landing nipple bore 32.

For pressure equalizing purposes, the valve housing 38 is provided with a radial passage 49 therethrough, which passage is below the packing member 48. A ring valve member 50 is longitudinally slidably disposed within the valve housing and is secured against movement relative thereto by means of shear pin 51 extending through the radial passage. The inner surface 52 of the ring valve has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the axial passage 53 of the mandrel 35. O-rings 54 and 55 are disposed between the ring member and valve housing above and below the radial passage 49 to prevent fluid flow therethrough.

Fig. 6 illustrates a running and pulling tool 60 for use with well tools having an inner annular fishing groove, such as the extension hanger illustrated in Fig. 5. This device comprises a vertically disposed generally cylindrical mandrel 61 having a fishing neck 62 connected at its upper end and locked thereto by locking screw 63. The fishing neck is undercut at 6.4 and is provided with a threaded connection 65 for attachment to suitable wire line tools.

A nose member 66 is connected to the lower end of mandrel 61 and is locked thereto by roll pin 67. Fluid communication is provided through tool 60 by port 68 in the nose 66 and port 69 in the fishing neck 62, each port being in communication with the mandrel bore 70. The nose member is provided with a downwardly and outwardly projecting cam surface 71.

The mandrel 61 has a plurality of longitudinal grooves 72 formed in the outer surface thereof and extending upwardly from the cam surface 71. As is seen from the drawings, the upper ends of the grooves 72 curve upwardly and outwardly at 73 from the axis of the mandrel.

A locking dog 75, longitudinally slidably disposed within each groove, has a lower end provided with a downwardly and outwardly inclined surface 76 complementary to the cam surface 71, and an outwardly projecting portion 77 adapted to fit within the fishing groove of a well tool. The dog is also provided with an inwardly extending projection 78 on the upper portion thereof engaging the bottom of groove 72.

A spring 80, confinedhetween mandrel flange 81 and thrust ring 82, resiliently biases the locking dogs downwardly against the cam surface 71, tocause the lower ends of the locking dogs to move outwardly from the axis of the tool, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

A sleeve 83 is mounted on mandrel 61 for limited longitudinal movement thereon, and is normally held in its lower position thereon by shear pin 84. A compression spring 85, confined between the sleeve 83 and mandrel flange 81, biases the sleeve upwardly. An inturned flange 86 on the lower end of sleeve 83 engages the shoulder 87 on dog member 75 and the mid portion thereof to restrain outward movement of the dogs from the grooves 72.

The running and pulling tool 60 is used to land and retrieve the extension hanger 21 in the landing nipple 18 in the following manner. The tool 60 is connected at the top of the well to the extension hanger, with the outwardly projecting lower dog ends 77 of the running tool engaging groove 47 of the top sub of the extension hanger, and with the bottom of the sleeve 33- of the running tool in engagement with the upper end of the top sub 44. The weight of the extension hanger pulls downwardly on the running tool dogs 75 so that they remain cammed outwardly into the top sub groove 47. The running tool is now lowered by wire line through the tubing, until the bottom end 39 of the extension hanger rests upon the inwardly extending lower shoulder 33 of the landing nipple.

The running tool is now jarred downwardly, which forces the top sub 44 of the extension hanger downwardly with respect to the now stationary lock mandrel 36 thereof. This causes the expander sleeve 43 to move downwardly on mandrel 36, expanding the collet fingers 41 outwardly into the landing nipple so that the fingers engage the downwardly facing shoulder 31 thereof to securely lock the extension hanger against upward or downward movement in the landing nipple 18. The extension hanger packing 43 engages the honed bore 32 of the landing nipple to prevent and fluid flow thereby.

Additional downward jarring of the running tool 60 causes screw 84 to shear, releasing sleeve 33 for upward movement by spring 85, so that the sleeve flange 86 pulls the dogs 75 upwardly against the force of the weaker spring 80. As the dogs 75 move upwardly, their inward projections 78 will be cammed outwardly by the groove portions 73, thus pivoting the lower ends 77 thereof inwardly to clear the fishing groove 47 of the extension hanger top sub 44. The running tool may now be withdrawn from the Well, leaving the extension hanger 21 locked in place in the landing nipple 18.

The extension hanger may be retrieved by the same tool 60'. The tool is fitted at the top of the well with a new shear screw 84 and is lowered by wire line through the well tubing until the nose 66 enters the top sub and the lower ends 77 of the dogs rest upon the top sub inclined surface 45 of the extension hanger 21. The tool 60 is now jarred downwardly, which causes the dogs 75 to be forced upwardly in grooves 72. Again, this movement causes the lower dog ends 77 to pivot inwardly so that the tool can move downwardly within the top sub 44 of the extension hanger until such movement is limited by the engagement of the sleeve 83 with the upper end of the top sub 44. At this time the dogs 75 are free to be forced downwardly by spring 80 so that the lower dog ends 77 lock into the top sub groove 47.

The tool as is now jarred upwardly to pull the top sub and expander sleeve upwardly relative to the lock mandrel 36, freeing the collet fingers 41 for inward movement. The tool is now pulled from the well, with the extension hanger suspended therefrom.

If it is necessary to equalize pressures between the inside and outside of the extension hanger prior to the removal thereof, a prong member (not shown) may be lowered through the bore 53 of the extension hanger to engage the ring valve 50. Downward jarring will shear the pin 51 and will move the valve downwardly to uncover passage 49. The unequal pressures will force the remainder of pin 51 out of passage 49 so that fluid may flow therethrough. to equalize the pressures.

T he safety joints The safety joint 23, illustrated in detail in Fig. 7, is designed to be landed, locked and sealed in packer 17. As the dual bore packer 17 may be of any conventional type, and since the particular details of the packer enabling the packer to be set in place in the casing form no part of the present invention, these latter details have not been shown in Fig. 7. The two longitudinal bores of the packer are adapted for use in the present invention by machining each bore so that it has an internal landing nipple profile as shown in Fig. 7. Each honed bore 101 has an upwardly and outwardly inclined annular shoulder 102 at the upper end thereof, and a downwardly and outwardly inclined annular shoulder 103 at the lower end thereof. The upper inner wall 104 of the packer is tape'r'ed up' wardly and outwardly so that tools lowered into the packer will be guided thereby and by the bore separating partition 105 into one of the packer bores.

The safety joint 23 comprises a vertically disposed generally cylindrical mandrel lltl'form'e'd by joint mem her 111, packing mandrel 112, lock mandrel 113 and end sub 114, connected together as shown, and having a constant diameter axial passage 115 therethrough. The mandrel 110 is radially enlarged at 116 to form an outwardly and downwardly facing seating surface 117 there on adapted to seat upon the upwardly facing shoulder 102 of the packer 17.

A collet member 119 is mounted on the lower endof mandrel 110 for limited longitudinal sliding movement thereon between an upper position and the lower illus-i t-rated position. A plurality of elongated resilient collet finger members 12% extend downwardly from the collet: and longitudinally along the mandrel. Each collet finger is provided on its free end with an outwardly projecting and upwardly facing seating surface 121.

An annular sleeve or look member 122 is mounted on mandrel 110- for longitudinal sliding movement between upper and lower posit-ions thereon, and is secured to the mandrel in the illustrated upper position by shear pins 123. The lock member 122 and the lower ends of the collet fingers are provided with complementary cam surfaces 124 and ll2i5sothat when the collet fingers move downwardly to the fixed lock member, the lower ends of the collet fingers will be cammed outwardly. Downward movement of the collet 119 is limited by the mandrel flange 126.

Packing mandrel 112 carries packing member 127 thereon to sealingly engage the bore 101 of packer 17.

A tubular connector sub 1'30 telescopes onto the upper end of mandrel 110 and is secured thereto by shear pins 131, and sealed thereto by O-rings 132. v

The upper end of joint'member 111 is provided with an undercut fishing shoulder 133 for engagement by suit- I able wire line tools.

The connector sub 130 of the safety joint is connected; as, for example, to an extension pipe, and is lowered into the packer 17 until the downwardly facing seating sur-' face 117 on the joint member 111 rests upon the up wardly facing packer shoulder 102.

In passing downwardly through the packer bore 101, the upwardly and outwardly inclined cam faces of the lower ends of the collet fingers engage the packer shoulder 102 and the collet fingers 120 are moved upwardly and inwardly, enabling the safety joint to pass into the packer. However, when the safety joint is all the way into the packer, the collet fingers are free to move downwardly and spring outwardly so that the lower ends thereof will lie underneath the packer shoulder 103. In this position, the safety joint will be held against upward movement because the packer shoulder 103 will force the collet fingers downwardly against the lock member 122, holding the fingers outwardly to prevent removal of the safety joint. Also, in this position, the packing element 127 sealingly engages the honed bore 101 of the packer to prevent fluid flow thereby.

The safety joint may be removed from the packer by jarring upwardly on the connector sub 130. Four shear screws 131 connect the connector sub to the joint mem-' her, while only three shear screws 123 connect the lock member 122 to the lock mandrel, all of the shear screws being of equal diameter. Under normal conditions, the upward jarring will cause the lower shear screws 123 to fail, releasingt-he lock member 122 fordownward move ment, awayfrom the collet fingers which are limited in downward movement by the lock mandrel flange 1 26. A straight upward-pull will now cam the collet fingers inwardly fron'rth'e' packer shoulder 103 so that the safety joint maybe removed from the packet. V

If the safety joint is sanded, or otherwise locked, in the packer, the upper shear screws 131 will fail, allowing the extension pipe and connector sub 130 to be removed from the well. A pulling tool may now be run in to grapple the fishing shoulder 133 of the safety joint. Without the large mass of pipe between the jarring tool and the safety joint, the safety joint can then more easily be jarred loose from the packer and removed.

Fig. 8 illustrates a safety joint 23, which is a modified form of the safety joint shown in Fig. 7. In this form, the radially enlarged upper end 174 of joint member 175 is again connected to a connector sub 176 by means of four shear screws 177, with the connector sub being shouldered at 178 to engage the upper end of the joint member 175. O-rings 179 seal between the joint member and connector sub. The joint member is provided with an internal annular fishing groove 180.

. The packing mandrel 181, packing element 182, lock mandrel 183, collet 184, collet fingers 185, sleeve or lock member 186 and shear screws 187 are identical with the corresponding elements of the safety joint previously described.

The end sub 188, connected to the lock mandrel 183, has ports 189 therethrough for the insertion of shear pins 190 to hold the plug member 191 in place in the bottom of the bore 192 of the safety joint. O-ring 193 prevents fluid flow past the plug into the bore 192.

The safety joint 23' just described is installed in the packer 17 in the same manner as the safety joint previously described.

It has been found that the installation of the safety joint is made more easily under certain conditions if the safety joint is plugged, as by plug 191. When the joint is set in place, with the enlarged end 174 of the joint member 175 resting on the packer shoulder 102 and with the collet fingers 185 cammed out to engage packer shoulder 103, the plug 191 may be removed. This may be done by applying suflicient fluid pressure within the tubing so that pins 190 will shear, allowing the plug to be blown out of the safety joint and to fall to the well bottom.

The safey joint 23 is normally removed from the packer, in the same manner as that previously described, by jarring upwardly on the connector sub 176 to shear the collet lock shear screws 187. If, however, the safety joint is locked in the packer, such jarring will shear the upper screws 177 to permit the connector sub to be removed from the well.

' A pulling tool 60, of the type illustrated in Fig. 6, is then lowered by wire line to remove safety joint 23 in the same manner as described in connection with removing the extension hanger. The dogs 91 engage the annular groove 180 of the safety joint upon downward jarring of the tool 60. Upward jarring of the tool causes the shear screws 187 to fail, releasing the lock member 186 for downward movement so that the safety joint may be pulled upwardly out of the packer, again as previously described.

Although the safety joints have been described as being landed in packer 17, it is to be realized that they may he landed in any device in a well having a bore with an internal landing nipple profile of the same configuration as that of the packer described. If desired, the end subs of the above described safety joints may be replaced by connector subs so that additional extension pipes may be connected to the safety joints to extend downwardly to a desired level.

Plugging tool A split ring 204 encircles the main mandrel and projects 8 outwardly therefrom. The lower end of end sub 202 has a downwardly and inwardly inclined seating surface 205.

Surrounding the inner main mandrel 201 and longitudinally slidable thereon is an outer mandrel unit comprising, from top to bottom, a lock mandrel 206, a packing mandrel 207 and a locater collet 208, interconnected as shown.

The lock mandrel is undercut at 209 to form a fishing shoulder to enable the plugging tool to be engaged by a conventional fishing tool so as to be removed from a landed and locked position. A port 210 and exterior annular groove 211 are formed on the lock mandrel for attachment to a running tool to be hereinafter described.

A locking collet 212 surrounds the lock mandrel in longitudinally slidable relation thereto, with such movement being limited in an upward direction by the engagement of the collet 212 with an external flange 213 formed on the lock mandrel. When the collet 212 is in its upper position illustrated, the lower ends 214 of collet finger members 215 engage the outwardly projecting lock mandrel shoulder 216 so that the outer surfaces 217 project outwardly from the nominal diameter of the plugging tool. When the collet 212 is moved downwardly on the lock mandrel, the collet finger ends 214 are free to move inwardly into lock mandrel groove 218 so that the outer surface 217 of the collet fingers may be flush with the exterior of the plugging tool. The collet fingers are provided with an outwardly projecting and downwardly facing seating surface 220.

The lock mandrel 206 has an interior annular groove 221 to allow longitudinal movement between the lock mandrel and the main mandrel, such movement being limited by the engagement of the split ring 204 with the ends of the annular groove 221. A packing assembly 222 surrounds the packing mandrel 207 and projects outwardly therefrom.

The locater collet 208 has a plurality of locater fingers 223 depending downwardly therefrom, said fingers each having a lower end 224 provided with an outer surface 226 which projects outwardly from the exterior of the plugging tool when the finger ends 224 engage the outwardly projecting inner mandrel surface portion 227. The surface portion 227 functions to hold the free ends of the fingers outwardly from the axis of the tool in the same manner as the sleeve 43 of the extension hanger 21 or the sleeve 122 of the safety joint 23, and thus may be considered as a fixed sleeve on mandrel 201. An outwardly projecting and upwardly facing seating surface 225 is provided on the lower ends of the fingers 223. The inner mandrel is shouldered at 228 to limit downward movement of the locater collet fingers 223 with respect thereto. When the locater collet 208 is moved upwardly relative to the inner mandrel 201, the lower finger ends 224 are free to move into the inner mandrel groove 229 so that the outer finger end surfaces 226 are flush with the exterior of the plugging tool. An 0- ring 231 seals between the inner mandrel and the 10- cater collet member 208.

An equalizing prong 235 fits loosely within the bore of the inner mandrel 201, and has the lower plug end thereof secured to the inner mandrel by shear pin 236 extending through inner mandrel port 237 into the prong. 0-rings 238 seal between the equalizing prong and the inner mandrel above and below the port 237. An axial passage 239 is formed in the lower end of the prong and communicates with a radial port 240 formed through the prong.

A running tool 250 illustrated in Fig. 10 is used to run the plugging tool into a bore of the packer 17 illustrated in Fig. 9. The running tool comprises three elements, a fishing neck 252, a core member 253 and a sleeve 254. The fishing neck is provided at its upper end with an undercut shoulder 256 and a threaded connection 257 for attachment to any suitable and conventional wire line tools (not shown).

The core member 253 is secured to the fishing neck and has an external flange 258 and a shear pin bore 259. Annular sleeve 254 surrounds the core member and can slide longitudinally relative thereto, with upward movement being limited by the engagement thereof with the fishing neck, and downward movement being limited by engagement with the core member flange 258. Shear pin ports 261 and 262 are provided in sleeve 254.

A pulling tool 275, illustrated in Fig. 11, is used to pull the plugging tool 24 from its landed and locked position in packer 17, and comprises a vertically disposed generally cylindrical mandrel 276 having a fishing neck 277 secured at the upper end thereof. The neck 277 is provided with a usual undercut shoulder 278 and a screw connection 279 for attachment to wire lines.

A core member 281 is slidably disposed for limited longitudinal movement within mandrel 276, and is pinned against relative movement thereto by shear pin 282. Shear pin retainer sleeve 283 surrounds mandrel 276 to hold shear pin 282 in place. The core member is biased upwardly within mandrel 276 by spring 284. A prong 285, fixed to or integral with the core member, extends downwardly therefrom, and is provided with a downward ly facing shoulder 286.

The mandrel 276 has a plurality of longitudinal slots 287 to receive elongated locking dog members 288 therein. Each locking dog is generally S-shaped in longitudinal cross section, with the upper end 289 thereof extending upwardly from the upper end of the slot and between the mandrel and core member. The upper end of the dog member is in hooking engagement with sleeve portion 291 to limit downward movement thereof. The lower end of the locking dog is provided with an inwardly and upwardly extending hook 292. A dog spring 293 presses downwardly on thrust ring 294 to resiliently bias the dogs 288 downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 11. The lower ends of the dogs 288 and the mandrel slots 287 are provided with complementary downwardly and inwardly inclined cam surfaces 295 and 296 which force the dog books 292 inwardly as the dogs move downwardly. As will be seen in the drawing, the upper portion 297 of each dog is tapered away from core 281 so that only the inwardly projecting portion 298 of the dog member engages the core member, at a point below the upper end of slot 287, to allow rocking movement of the dog in a direction to move the dog hook 292 outwardly.

The core member has a downwardly sloping shoulder 299 disposed below the horizontal dog shoulder 300 for a purpose to be described.

, The plugging tool 24 is installable in packer 17 in the following manner. The lock mandrel 206 of the plugging tool is inserted in sleeve 254 of the running tool so that the bottom of the-sleeve will force the locking collet- 212 downwardly until the lower ends of the collet fingers are free to move inwardly into the reduced diameter locking mandrel groove 218. The lower ends of the collet fingers are restrained from outward movement by the engagement thereof in the recess 219 of the packing mandrel 207. A shear pin is inserted through port 262 in the running tool sleeve 254 to extend into the lockingmandrel groove 211. At the same time, the external core flange 258 engages the upper end of the inner mandrel 201 and moves it downwardly with respect to the locking mandrel 206 so that the ports 259, 203, 210 and 261 of the inner mandrel, core, lock mandrel and sleeve will all be in registration. A second shear pin is then inserted in ports 259 and 203.

Therunning tool 250 is now lowered by wire line down to. packer 17. Since the running tool sleeve 254 can slide downwardly on core 253, the collet fingers 223 will be positioned'with respect to the inner mandrel 201 as shown' in Fig. 9. When the plugging tool reaches the packer 17, the collet finger portion 224 engages the packer 1.01 shoulder 1 02 to prevent downward movement of the lock. mandrel. The inner mandrel 201, howevenmove's' downwardly until the collet fingersare free to move inwardly, so that the whole plugging tool can be pushed downwardly through the bore 101 of the packer. The plugging tool is lowered until the lower ends 224 of the locating collect fingers are below the packer shoulder 103.

The running tool is now raised, to raise the inner mandrel 201. The frictional engagement of the plugging tool' packing element 222 with the packer bore 101 and the collet finger ends 224 with the packer wall resist upward movement of the outer mandrel, allowing. the inher mandrel to resume the position shown in Fig. 9, with the collet fingers 223.1ocked intheir outer position so that ;hey can not pass upwardly beyond the packer shoulder The running tool 250 is now jarred upwardly, causing both shear pins to fail, and the running tool is withdrawn from the well. Downward movement of the plug ging tool 24 through the packeris prevented by the collet fingers 215. As the plugging tool moves downwardly, the collet finger ends 214 drag on the upper wall 104 of the packer so that the reduced diameter lock mandrel portion 216 locks the fingers in their outer position, shown in Fig. 11. In this position, the fingers engage the packer shoulder 102 to prevent further downward movement of the plugging tool. 7

To remove the plugging tool 24 from the packer 17, the pulling tool 275 is attached to a wire line and run into the well until the pulling tool prong 285 abuts the equalizing prong 235 of the plugging tool. The pulling tool is now jarred downward to jar the equalizing prong 235, causing the shear pin 236 to fail, The equalizing prong is then moved downwardly such a distance that the portion of the shear pin remaining in inner mandrel port 237 is forced inwardly by the fluid pressure eX- teriorly thereof. The well fluids can now flow through port 237 and upwardly between the inner mandrel and the equalizing prong, to equalize the pressures so as to facilitate removal of the plugging tool. Or, should the equalizing prong 235 be moved upwardly, the fluid may flow through port 237 and then upwardly through prong passage 239 and port 240 and then between the prong and inner mandrel to equalize the pressures. In either event, both of the O-rings 238 must be either above or below port 237 in order for the pressures to be equalized.

After pressure equalization, the running tool is again jarred downwardly. The prong shoulder 286 engages the upper end of the inner mandrel 201 of the plugging tool, forcing it downwardly so that the locating collet fingers 223 are free to move inwardly to allow upward removal of the plugging tool from the packer. At the same time, the upper end of the lock mandrel 206 engages the. lower ends of the pulling tool dogs 288, and forces them upwardly and outwardly so that the lock mandrel 206 moves upwardly into the pulling tool man'- drel 276. After the locking mandrel 206 has moved sufficiently far into the mandrel 276, the dogs 288 are free to be moved downwardly by spring 293, so that the dog hooks 292 move inwardly underneath the undercut shoul der 209 of the lock mandrel 206, to latch the running tool to the plugging tool.

The plugging tool may now be withdrawn from the packer by applying an upward pull to the pulling tool by wire line. Once at the surface of the well, the running tool 275 may be disengaged from the plugging tool by applying pressure to the upper ends 289 of the dog members, which project through apertures 301, to pivot the dog member hooks 292 out from under the fishing shoulder of the plugging tool.

If the plugging tool is sanded, or otherwise locked, in the packer 17 so that it cannot be removed, the running tool is again jarred downwardly to cause the shear pin 282 to fail. This releases the core member 281 for upward movement in mandrel 276 by spring 284. The core cam shoulder 299 cams against the dog shoulders 300, causing the dogs 288 to rock about the core cam shoulder 299 and the upper end of slot 287 in a direction to move their hooks 292 outwardly from latched engagement with the undercut shoulder of the plugging tool lock mandrel. The pulling tool is now free to be withdrawn from the well.

Although the pulling tool 275 has been described as used with the plugging tool 24, it is to be realized that it may also be used to pull any tool having'a similar annular undercut fishing shoulder. As, for example, the safety joint 23 illustrated in Fig. 7 may also be pulled from the well by the pulling tool 275.

Side port nipple The side port nipple 19, illustrated in detail in Fig, 12, is exemplary of many devices which may be used to Open a side port in a tubing string by remotely controlled wire line operation, and comprises a mandrel 310 having threaded connections at either end for attachment in a tubing string, and a plurality of side ports 311 therethrough.

A sleeve member 312 is longitudinally slidably mounted within mandrel 310, and has a plurality of outwardly springing collet arms 313 adapted to engage into interior annular grooves 314, 315 and 316 formed in mandrel 310.

In the position illustrated, with collet arms 313 in groove 316, the side ports 311 are closed, with packing members 317 and 318 sealing oif the sleeve to the mandrel to prevent any flow therebetween. A suitable wire line tool (not shown) may be lowered into sleeve 312 and pulled upwardly to engage the internal sleeve shoulder 319 and to cam the collet arms 313 out of groove 316. The sleeve is moved upwardly until the collet arms spring into groove 315. At this time the small sleeve ports 320 are opposite the mandrel side ports 311 to equalize pressures.

The main sleeve ports 321 will register with the side ports 311 when the sleeve 312 is moved further upwardly until the collet arms 313 are in groove 314, and full flow may now occur from the interior to the exterior of the mandrel, or vice versa.

The sleeve may be moved downwardly to its original flow preventing position by lowering a suitable wire line tool (not shown) into the sleeve to engage the lower internal shoulder 322 thereon. Downward jars will then move the sleeve downwardly.

Production and reworking operations As will be observed from the preceding description, the extension hanger 21, the safety joints 23 and 23', and the plugging tool 24 may all be run down the tubing strings, landed and locked in place, and removed when desired, all by the use of wire line equipment alone. In addition, the side port nipple 19 may be opened or closed, as desired, by the use of wire line equipment.

After the well casing 10 has been installed in the well so as to extend through the upper and lower production zones 11 and 12, the lower packer 17 is set in a conventional manner between the upper and lower zones.

The tubing string 15 is made up, with the side port nipple 19 and landing-nipple. 18 connected therein as shown, and with the packer 16 at the lower end thereof. This tubing string is then run down through the casing and the packer 16 is locked to the casing at a desired elevation above the upper production zone. The tubing string 15a is then made up at the surface of the well, with the landing nipple 18a therein, and is run down through the casing and locked into packer 16. If desired, the tubing strings 15 and 15a may be provided with suitable equipment for gas lift operation.

The above operations result in the permanently installed apparatus shown in Fig. 1. At this time, the tubing handling rig at the ground surface may be removed, as

all of the followingoperations may be carried out completely by wire line apparatus.

If it is desired to produce both the lower and upper zones simultaneously through the tubing strings 15 and 15a, respectively, an extension pipe 22 is made up of a desired length, with a safety joint 23 connected at its lower end and with an extension hanger 21 connected at its upper end. A running tool 75 is connected to the extension hanger, and the whole assembly is lowered by wire line through tubing 15 until the safety joint 23 is landed in packer 17 and the extension hanger 21 is landedin the landing nipple 18. The safety joint and extension hanger are then both locked into place and the running tool 75 removed as previously described.

The plugging tool 24is run through tubing string 15a, by running tool 250, and is landed, locked and sealed in the other bore of packer 17, as previously described. If desired, the plugging tool 24 may previously have been inserted in packer 17 before it was lowered and locked into place.

With these operations completed, the combination illustrated in Fig. 2 is provided. The lower zone 12 can now produce through the extension pipe 22 and tubing string 15 to ground level, while the upper zone 11 produces through tubing string 15a to ground level. Since the safety joint 23 and plugging tool 24 are each sealed to packer 17 and the extension hanger 21 is sealed to the landing nipple 18, no commingling of the fluids in the two zones can occur. Furthermore, neither fluid can enter into the tubing-casing annulus, so that this annulus may be used for the introduction of gas into either or both tubing strings for gas lifting purposes.

As will be noted, each tubing string is internally unrestricted so that wire line tools can pass completely through these strings into either the upper or lower pr0- duction zones, if and as desired.

During the course of completion of the well, it may become necessary to rework the upper zone and to provide a continuous flow path from the top of the well down to the upper zone and back up to ground level.

The running tool 75 is lowered by wire line into tubing 15 to latch onto the extension hanger 21, and the extension hanger 21, extension pipe 22 and safety joint 23 are removed from the well. A suitable and conventional wire line tool is then lowered through tubing 15 to actuate the side port nipple 19 to open position, and the extension hanger, extension pipe and safety joint are rerun into tubing 15. These operations produce the combination of equipment shown in Fig. 3.

This combination now provides a continuous flow path from ground surface down through tubing 15:: into the upper zone 11 and back up tubing 15, through the now open side port nipple 19 and upwardly through the tubing-casing annulus to ground level. Obviously, the reverse flow path can be used, if desired. Since tubing 15a is unrestricted, any desired wire line tools may be lowered therethrough into the upper production zone.

The lower zone can still produce through tubing string 15 during any reworking operations of the upper zone, and again there is no possibility of fluid commingling between the zones as the upper zone is being reworked. It is within the ambit of this invention to employ a remotely controlled hydraulically operated side port nipple which may be controlled from ground level, in which case the extension pipe 22 need not be removed in order to open the side port nipple 19.

If it is later desired to rework the lower zone 12, the combination of elements shown in Fig. 2 may be manipulated by wire line to produce the combination shown in Fig. 4, in the following manner. A pulling tool 275 is lowered by wire line through tubing string 15a, and is latched to the plugging tool 24, after which the plugging tool is removed from packer 17 and pulled to the top of the well. An extension pipe 22a is made up at ground level, with a safety joint 23a connected at its lower end and an extension hanger 21a connected at its upper end. Thist assembly is then lowered by a running tool 75, suspended from a wire line, through tubing 15a, until the safety joint 23a is landed in packer 17 and the extension hanger 21a is landed in the landing nipple 18a. These elements are then locked and sealed in place, as previously described; and the running tool is removed from, the well.

At this time, acontinuous flow path is provided from ground surface downwardly through tubing string 15a and extension pipe 22a to the lower zone and from the lower zone upwardly through extension pipe 22 and tubing string- 15 to ground level, so that any desired reworking operations, including cementing and perforating, may be carried out. During any of these reworking operations, the upper zone can be produced through side port nipple 19. and the tubing-casing annulus.

-Any of the'combinations shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 can be changed to any of the other combinations, as desired, by use of wire line equipment alone. Further, other combinations. of the above elements may be made, if desired. For example, it may be desired to re-perforate the casing between packers 16 and 17, which would necessitate the removal of the extension pipe 22. This pipe is removed, againby Wire line, and the packer 17 plugged by' a plugging tool, if necessary. Since there is now no tubing betweenthe. two packers, a casing perforator may belowered into the upper zone to carry out the perforating operation. The extension pipe 22 is then replaced so that the two zones can again be individually produced.

As may be seen from the foregoing, the invention provides extremely simple andfiexible equipment for com pleting dilal'zone.wellsso that the upper and lower zones may be independently produced and so that either zone may be reworked without interfering with the production from the other zone while the reworking operations are carried on.

It is to be realized that the various forms of the equipment shown and described above are preferred embodiments of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the attached claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A safety joint comprising: a vertically disposed mandrel having an outwardly projecting and downwardly facing seating surface on the upper end thereof, a collet mounted on said mandrel for limited vertical sliding movement thereon between first and second positions, a plurality of elongated, resilient finger members each mounted at one end thereof on said collet and extending longitudinally along said mandrel, an outwardly projecting and upwardly facing seating surface on the free ends of said fingers, an annular lock member mounted on said mandrel for longitudinal sliding movement between first and second positions thereon, shear pin means connecting said lock member and said mandrel to normally retain said lock member in its said first position on said mandrel, and a cam surface on said lock member engageable with the free ends of said fingers to force said free ends outwardly from the axis of said mandrel when said collet is in its first position, said fingers being out of engagement with the cam surface when said collet is in its second position and said lock member is in its first position, said fingers also being out of engagement with said cam surface when said collet is in its first position and said lock member is in its second position.

2. A safety joint comprising: a vertically disposed mandrel having an outwardly projecting and downwardly facing seating surface on the upper end thereof, a collet mounted on said mandrel for limited vertical sliding movement thereon between first and second posidons, a plurality of elongated, resilient finger members each mounted at; one end thereof on said collet and' ex tending longitudinally along said mandrel, an outwardlyprojecting and upwardly facing seating surface on the free ends of said fingers, an annular lock member mounted on said mandrel for longitudinal sliding move-- ment between first and second positions thereon, a first shear pin means connecting said lock member and saidmandrel to normally retain said lock member in its said first position on said mandrel, a cam surface on said lock member engageable with the free ends of said fingers to force said free ends outwardly from the axis of said mandrel when said' collet is in its first position, said fingers being out of engagement with the cam surface when said' collet is in its second position and said lock member is in its first position, said fingers also being out of en-- gagement with said cam surface when said collet is in its first position" and said lock member is in its second position, a tubular member having a telescopic fit with the upper end of said mandrel, and second shear pin means connecting said tubular member and said mandrel, said second shear. pin means having a greater shear strength than said first shear pin means.

3. A safety joint laudable in a landing nipple having spaced apart, upwardly and downwardly facing seating shoulders, said joint' comprising: a vertically disposed, generally cylindrical mandrel having a main passage extending axially therethrough and'an outwardly projecting and downwardly facing seating surface on the upper end thereof adapted to seat upon the upwardly facing shoulder of said landing nipple, a collet member mounted on said mandrel for limited vertical sliding movement thereon between firstand second positions, a plurality of elongated, resilient finger members each mounted at one end thereof on said collet member and extending longitudina'll'y along said mandrel, an outwardly projecting and upwardly facing seating surface on the free ends of said fingers engageable with the downwardly facing shoulder of said landing nipple, an annular lock member mounted on said mandrel for longitudinal sliding movement between first and second positions thereon, shear pin means connecting said lock member and said mandrel to normally retain said lock member in its said first position on said mandrel, a cam surface on said lock member engageable with the free ends of said fingers to force said free ends outwardly from the axis of said mandrel when said collet member is in its first position, said fingers being out of engagement with the cam surface when said collet member is in its second position and said lock member is in its first position, said fingers also being out of engagement with said cam surface when said collet member is in its first position and said lock member is in its second position, and packing means on the exterior of said mandrel above said collet member to seal the space between said mandrel and the landing nipple.

4. A safety joint laudable in a landing nipple having spaced apart, upwardly and downwardly facing seating shoulders, said joint comprising: a vertically disposed, generally cylindrical mandrel having a main passage extending axially therethrough and an outwardly projecting and downwardly facing seating surface on the upper end thereof adapted to seat upon the upwardly facing shoulder of said landing nipple, a collet member mounted on said mandrel for limited vertical sliding movement thereon between first and second positions, a plurality of elongated, resilient finger members each mounted at one end thereof on said collet member and extending longitudinally along said mandrel, an outwardly projecting and upwardly facing seating surface on the free ends of said fingers engageable with the downwardly facing shoulder of said landing nipple, an annular lock member mounted on said mandrel for longitudinal sliding movement between first and second positions thereon, a first shear pin means connecting said lock member and said mandrel to normally retain said lock member in its said first position on said mandrel, a cam surface on said lock member engageable with the free ends of said fingers to force said free ends outwardly from the axis of said mandrel when said collet member is in its first position, said fingers being out of engagement with the cam surface when said collet member is in its second position and said lock member is in its first position, said fingers also being out of engagement with said cam surface when said collet member is in its first position and said lock member is in its second position, packing means on the exterior of said mandrel above said collet member to seal the space between said mandrel and the landing nipple, a tubular member having a telescopic fit with the upper end of said mandrel, and second shear pin means connecting said tubular member and said mandrel, said second shear pin means having a greater shear strength than said first shear pin means.

5. A safety joint laudable in a landing nipple having spaced apart, upwardly and downwardly facing seating shoulders, said joint comprising: a vertically disposed, generally cylindrical mandrel having a main passage extending axially therethrough and an outwardly projecting and downwardly seating surface on the upper end thereof, adapted to seat upon the upwardly facing shoulder of said landing nipple, a collet member mounted on said mandrel for limited vertical sliding movement thereon between first and second positions, a plurality of elongated, resilient finger members each mounted at one end thereof on said collet member and extending longitudinally along said mandrel, an outwardly projecting and upwardly facing seating surface on the free ends of said fingers engageable with the downwardly facing shoulder of said landing nipple, an annular lock member mounted on said mandrel for longitudinal sliding movement between first and second positions thereon, a first shear pin means connecting said lock member and said mandrel to normally retain said lock member in its said first position on said 16 mandrel, a cam surface on said lock member engageable with the free ends of said fingers to force said free ends outwardly from the axis of said mandrel when said collet member is in its first position, said fingers being out of engagement with the cam surface when said collet memher is in its second position and said lock member is in its first position, said fingers also being out of engagement with said cam surface when said collet member is in its first position and said lock member is in its second position, packing means on the exterior of said mandrel above said collet member to seal the space between said mandrel and the landing nipple, a tubular member having a telescopic fit with the upper end of said mandrel, second shear pin means connecting said tubular member and said mandrel, said second shear pin means having a greater shear strength than said first shear pin means, means on the upper end of said mandrel for engagement by wire line,

retrieving tools, a plug member sealably disposed within said main passage of said mandrel, and third shear pin means connecting said plug member and said mandrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

